Thanks for the info, Sober1, pretty well what I expected, but I needed confirmation: I'll be picking up the Mini Phono post-haste. So far, I've liked all ASL gear, as they're just so damned musical! And as you say, tweaker's delight, even if it's such simple stuff as tube-rolling. Too bad it wasn't in my stocking this X-mas. |
Kickin' it back up the ladder. Any fans of the Rotel out there? Any fans of the ASL? Any alternatives in this price range? Details please...I've rediscovered the wonders of cheap n' cheerful equipment, audio fun and sheer musicality with my purchase of the Wave 8s a couple of years ago and now of the Wave 20s... |
Bombaywalla,
Much appreciated! Even if you haven't heard the Mini Phono, I have in fact been considering buying the passive pre to go with it eventually anyway, so your take on this is very helpful. There's one area where the ASLs will go toe to toe against anything out there, and that's timing and musicality. I carried my Wave 20s to a friend's house the other day who uses 120-watt SS monoblocks, and after hours of breathless, astounded listening, he said "I'll just have to kill you and keep the amps." I think the ASL gear has made being an audiophile (a pernicious disease) the most fun I've ever had in audio. Of course, if the Rotel has fans, or any other pre in this price range, I'd love to know about it. |
Tell you the truth, the ASL T1DT was at the top of my list, but now I've discovered the existence of the Bottlehead kit preamp, and I'm salivating: it's cheap - $150 - and (therefore) fun, and it looks so retro cool. And if you're going to go single high-sensitivity driver, then you've gotta hear the ASL Tulip 3.5-watt singled-ended 2A3 amp: simply one of the best I've heard in my 25 years of listening to "high-end" audio. I can also speak for the Wave 8s (no longer made) and 20s, though these wouldn't be as refined as the Tulip, just ballsier. Any other cheap phono experiences out there? I'm building a cheap n' cheerful state-of-the-art rock'em sock'em system, thanks to the likes of ASL. |
Thanks Arafel, I've just bought the Mini Phono and I can't wait to try it! Your experience with it pretty well matches other reports of its exaggerated output, but that's OK since I'll be using it with MMs. |
This thing is astonishing. I haven't got very many hours on it yet, but the level of detail is incredible at this price point (and at any), and good Prat. Not many hours yet, and I have to say that so far it's light in the bass. But it's tube-smooth, dynamic, lively. Needs more burn-in I think to see if the low-bass, which would not be noticeable in smaller speakers, fleshes out. That's it for now. |
I'm not ready to give it "giant-killer" status yet, though this may be because I have access to so many giant-killers and I haven't had a chance to burn it in yet. But I think it is definitely a keeper, and if my experience with other ASL tube equipment is anything to go by, there will be a transformation soon. I can say that it is very detailed and very clean, with the usual tube ability to paint the soundstage. I just ran a Supex 901 MC into it with no volume or noise problems. Now I believe the Supex, from ear alone (I bought it NOS but without the paperwork - perhaps someone can help me here) has an oputput from .8 to 1 millivolt - so this is quite something. But I bought the Mini Phono from a good dealer who had sold it to me with a matched pair of tubes chosen for their specific Mini Phono characteristics (the North Audio manufacturer lives in town), at a slight premium. For $200 I don't believe anything out there can touch it, though I can't say for certain: for those who like tubes and need a budget phono stage, then this is it. More when it burns in! I can't believe it works so well with my Supex! |
I'm falling in love with this thing, though I'm not certain what's going on. I just made an armboard for my Ariston RD80 (Linn LP12-like) out of Purpleheart, an exotic purple hardwood. I put the Black Widow tonearm on it, and mounted the Grado Platinum on that. Plugged into my ASL Mini Phono, there is a beautiful resonant quality to the music, like a fine cello, or other lacquered woody instrument. It's beautiful. ASL Mini Phono or Purpleheart armboard? More listening required. The bass has made an appearance, it's still burning in. For this type of resonant magic, a tubed component is definitely necessary: so if that's the type of magic you want and this is your budget, this is it. Great clarity and detail too. Be aware I had NOS Philips tubes matched, measured, fitted when I bought it. |
I have heard that the new Mini Phonos have had their design chaged to increase output. Though my Mini Phono has been found wanting in certain comparative tests, I still love mine, as I find it gets the timing right, and is sufficiently detailed (very for my tastes) and provides excellent imaging information. Though I often turn my preamp up to 2 o'clock (!), with my matched Philips tubes I find there is no noise penalty. If you do find tweaks anywhere for the Mini Phono, let me know. Until then, I continue to happily use mine, as I have not even been tempted so far to even open it up to see what's inside! |
Hi Mark, I've been traveling and hadn't noticed this post. I'd be very interested in your findings on this phono preamp. I just got an ASL AQ 2006DT full-function preamp with phono stage, and it already sounds excellent, with the usual ASL musicality and PRaT which just presses my buttons. Perhaps your tweaks would work on it as well. Keep us posted. |
